Easter is almost here, giving you an opportunity for a bit of a rest and a chance to spend time with the family. With the kids being off school and bank holidays meaning you can take a break from work, it’s a great start to spring.

Of course, one of the favourite parts of Easter has to be all the chocolate eggs, making it the ideal holiday for those with a sweet tooth. However, chocolate Easter eggs aren’t the healthiest option, which means many people are looking for alternative gifts to give during the celebrations.

As well as being healthier, you can also save money by making your own gifts for family members this Easter. Here are a few easy and cheap ideas that are a great alternative:

Eggshell Herb Garden

We’ve all tried our hand at growing cress in an eggshell, probably back in the early days of school. This easy idea is a fun way to create a herb garden that will look great in any kitchen.

“Treat your whole gamily to something a bit different this Easter”

All you have to do is save any egg shells you’ve used in your kitchen. Ideally, you want the holes where you’ve removed the egg to be as small as possible so the shell is still quite deep. Lightly cracking them with the flat blade of a knife can achieve this.

Carefully rinse the shell to remove any egg residue, as this can cause a smell when it goes off. Once the shell is dry, you can paint the outside with patterns or faces – this is a great activity for the kids – to make them more interesting.

Then, gently place damp cotton wool or kitchen towel in the shell before placing your seeds inside. Traditionally, this technique is used to grow cress, but you can plant different herbs and place them in an egg box to create an unusual herb garden.

Easter Bags

Whether you’re taking the family on an Easter egg hunt or just want to provide a useful gift for the celebration, a reusable shopping bag could be a great option.

With basic sewing skills, you can fashion a simple fabric bag. This can be made from material that has been bought especially – perhaps something with an Easter print – or from sheets or bedding that is no longer needed.

Just cut out a long rectangular shape that is double the length of the size of bag you want to make. Fold this in half – this will form the bottom of a bag without you needing to create a seam that could break – and sew the sides up.

Turn the bag inside out, so the sewn edges aren’t visible, before attaching handles. If you want to make the bag more Easter-themed, why not use fabric paints or pens to decorate it? You could even create fabric decorations to be sewn onto the bag.

Easter Cake

If you do want to give something edible but want it to be a bit more personal, why not bake a cake? You can make people’s favourite flavours with delicious fillings and decorate them with mini chocolate eggs or homemade decorations.

This is a great activity to get everyone involved in and makes a lovely gift for family and friends.